The career this paper will be focusing on is Cyber Forensics. Cyber forensics is an important field of study that seeks to investigate, analyze, and identify all evidence related to cybercrime (CybersecurityEducation.org, n.d.). With the internet being so prominent in our current society, cybercrime has become a major threat to everyone around the world even including businesses and governments. The use of devices of all sorts, such as computers, smartphones, and tablets, has made it easier for criminals to carry out their malicious activities and cover their tracks. The purpose of this paper is to explore cybersecurity careers and to help develop an understanding and informed decision on possible career paths. This paper specifically outlines cyber forensics and what the career entails. 

“Cyber forensics is also known as computer forensics” and “the main aim of cyber forensics is to maintain the thread of evidence and documentation to find out who did the crime digitally “(Geeks for Geeks, 2022). Cyber forensics is necessary for a crime investigation when a suspect has been decided and their “personal computer or cell phone taken into evidence” (DeVry University). A computer forensics professional goes digging for data that is necessary to understand the investigation (DeVry University). When investigating Cyber professionals have to be careful to follow detailed specific procedures, so that their findings to be used as evidence. Cyber Forensics professions are very important because “information they uncover, whether it be documents, browsing information or even metadata, may then be used by the prosecution to create a case” (DeVry University). During security breaches cyber forensics professionals are called to analyze the breach to decipher how it took place, and prove their claims with evidence (CybersecurityEducation.org).  Cyber forensics experts are vital to understanding, uncovering, and solving cybercrimes. Cyber forensics is a very important career now, and will continue to be a vital career to our society. Other social sciences that cyber forensics specialists need to best succeed in their careers, are an understanding of history as it pertains to cybersecurity and security threats, sociology and economics. History benefits the field, because and understanding history can be used to solve future crimes. Sociology impacts cyber forensics because the study of human behaviors impacts the understanding of why and how criminals commit crimes, which is very imporant to the study and search of evidence. Lastly economics, plays a rule in funding cyber forensics, and many crimes are due to crimes that involve money (economics). 

The required education to be a Cyber Forensic professional is a “bachelor’s degree in computer science, computer forensics, or a related field” (CybersecurityEducation.org, n.d.). 

Some of the certification and possible licensure requirements are “GIAC Certified Forensic Analyst (GCFA) credential,  Certified Forensic Computer Examiner (CFCE), GIAC Advanced Smartphone Forensics (GNFA), IACIS Certified Mobile Device Examiner (ICMDE), AccessData Certified Examiner (ACE) “ (CybersecurityEducation.org, n.d.). The average salary for a cyberforensic investigator is 86,240 dollars a year, lowest starting at 22,000 and the highest being 176,000 (Zip Recruiter, n.d.). 

In conclusion, cyber forensics is an important field for our technical society. Cyber forensics investigators do the important work of uncovering digital evidence, to help solve cyber crimes and security breaches, and help the justice system. I like the idea of this job as it seems very challenging, yet rewarding. The idea of using cyber technology to solve real-world problems is innovative and interesting to me. The future will need many cyber forensics specialists as it is a constantly developing and adapting field. 

References

Buckley, T. (n.d.). How to Become a Computer Forensics Analyst | Cyberdegrees.org. Cyber Degrees. Retrieved April 13, 2023, from https://www.cyberdegrees.org/careers/computer-forensics/how-to-become/

CybersecurityEducation.org. (n.d.). How to Become a Computer Forensics Expert (Education & Salary). Cyber Security Education. Retrieved April 13, 2023, from https://www.cybersecurityeducation.org/careers/forensics-expert/

DeVry University. (n.d.). What is Computer Forensics? DeVry University. Retrieved April 13, 2023, from https://www.devry.edu/online-programs/area-of-study/technology/what-is-computer-forensics.html

Geeks for Geeks. (2022, June 14). Cyber Forensics. GeeksforGeeks. Retrieved April 13, 2023, from https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/cyber-forensics/

Gwynedd Mercy University. (n.d.). Computer Forensics Career Guide: Salary & Jobs in Computer Forensics. Gwynedd Mercy University. Retrieved April 13, 2023, from https://www.gmercyu.edu/academics/learn/computer-forensics-career-guideZip Recruiter. (n.d.). Salary: Digital Forensics Investigator (Mar, 2023) US. ZipRecruiter. Retrieved April 13, 2023, from https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/Digital-Forensics-Investigator-Salary